New York State Builders Association

On October 24th, Governor Cuomo signed the A.6361 (Thiele) into law which reforms New York’s More Restrictive Standard law. The law amends Article 18 of the Executive Law to provide that local laws and ordinances imposing more restrictive local standards (MRLS) than are applicable generally under the State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (Uniform Code) shall not take effect until after such standards have been approved by the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council (the Code Council). Previously, while the Code Council is considering such a petition, any such local law or ordinance remains in full force and effect.

This new law seeks to prevent such confusion and uncertainty by requiring that the Code Council approve MRLS imposed by a local law or ordinance before such standards may become effective.

MRLS reform was at the top of NYSBA’s 2017 Legislative Agenda, and the Government Affairs Committee made it a priority to get this bill passed through the Legislature and signed into law. Our members worked very hard to convince Democrats from both houses to support this bill, and that commitment was essential when the bill passed both the Senate and Assembly in June.